German Major
Why study German?
In today's global economy, foreign language skills are absolutely essential. As a major player in the EU, Germany's political impact on world politics cannot be underestimated. As the third-largest economy in the world, Germany is one of the leading industrial nations. About 100 million people are native speakers of German worldwide. According to a new EU study, English and German are the most widely known languages in Europe. In the US, German ranks third among languages spoken at home (languages other than English and Spanish).
)
Why major in German at Gordon?
As a Protestant liberal arts college in the Evangelical tradition, the German program at Gordon College pays particular attention to the culture and history of German Protestantism. Students have the opportunity to study texts by Martin Luther, Matthias Claudius, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and many others in the German original and discuss German issues from a Christian perspective.
Gordon students majoring in German often double major in fields such as Economics, International Affairs, English, and Education. Outside of class, students have the opportunity to join the German Club and watch and discuss the many German films the library at Gordon College provides. In addition, the Greater Boston area offers numerous German resources.
Students with degrees in German have received prestigious Fulbright Teaching Assistantships in Germany, work in many fields or continue their German studies in excellent graduate programs, including the ones at the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
)
German Club
Möchten Sie mehr Deutsch sprechen? If so, join the German Club! The German Club offers weekly Kaffeestunden in Lane Student Center, as well as frequent German film evenings. The German Club also explores the German resources in the Greater Boston area. Excursions include trips to Harvard's Busch Reisinger Museum, the Center for German and European studies at Brandeis University, and lectures and events organized by Boston University's Institute of Human Sciences or Harvard's Center for European Studies.
Contact
Stacy Strobel, president
Gregor Thuswaldner, faculty advisor
)
Study Abroad at Heidelberg University
Typically, Gordon's German Majors spend their junior year or semester abroad at the University of Heidelberg. The picturesque city of Heidelberg is home of the oldest German university, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität. Founded in 1386, the University of Heidelberg was home to such well-known academics as Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, Max Weber, Karl Jaspers, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and eight Nobel Prize winners. The university has an outstanding academic reputation as one of the most prestigious schools in Europe. It has recently been ranked among the top 50 institutions worldwide.
Heidelberg is the birth place of the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563, one of the most important documents of early Protestantism. In 1878, Mark Twain fell in love with the city where, among other things, he wrote Chapter 18 of Huckleberry Finn.
In Heidelberg, Gordon students have the opportunity to get involved in evangelical churches and campus ministry groups. In addition, Heidelberg offers a rich cultural life. Located in the heart of Europe, Heidelberg with its wonderful train connections is ideal for students who want to explore other European countries.
For more information on studying in Heidelberg as a Gordon student, please visit the Global Education Office's Heidelberg program page or contact Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner.
What Students Are Saying About the Heidelberg Program
"I could not have had a better college experience than studying in Heidelberg for a year. Being a part of the American Junior Year program and living in Heidelberg provided countless opportunities for both personal and academic growth. Living and learning abroad changed me in so many ways--improving my German language skills was only the beginning."
--Kathryn Malczyk '06 (A. J. Gordon Scholar, German and English double major)
After graduating from Gordon, Katie was offered a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship in Germany. Upon her return to the US, she began graduate work in German at The University of Pennsylvania. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. at UPenn.
"I highly recommend the Summer Program through Heidelberg College if one is looking for an intense experience in a foreign country. My German improved greatly in a matter of six weeks and I learned quite a bit about the culture. It is a great stepping stone towards further study in German."
--Sara E. Smith '04 (German major)
Sara earned an MA in German from Bowling Green State University and obtained an MA in Library Science at the University of Maryland)